Toaster cover and serving tray device



Feb. 23, 1965 s. GERLlcH 3,170,416

ToAsTEE covEE AND SERVING TRAY DEVICE Filed April s. 196s @Eph WEE This invention relates to a toaster cover and serving Vtray device, and more particularly toa novel cover for an electric, bread toaster adapted to prevent foreign matter United States Patent() from entering the bread-receiving slots when the toaster n is stored and which is adapted tofunction as a toast serving tray when-the toaster is being used.

An Yimportant object of the invention is to provide a new and improved combination toaster cover and yserving tray device which is simple in design and construction, sturdily built, attractive in appearance, and relatively inexpenslve to manufacture. v

Y A further object is to provide a cover-for an electric bread toaster'of the type having elongated bread-receivmg slots formed in the top wall of the outer casing thereof which is positionable on the toaster casing when the toaster is stored and not being used, to close the slots and thereby prevent the entrance of dust and other foreign elements into the interior of the toaster casing which could render the toaster unsanitary and/ or possibly damage the toaster heating elements and grids. v

A still further object is the provision of a storage cover fora toaster which is adjustable so as to be centered over the toaster regardless of the disposition of the bread-receiving slots with respect tothe end walls of the toaster casing and, thus, is capable of being used withl a large n variety of different make and model toasters.

y A still further object of the present invention is the provision of a combination toaster storage cover and servingtray device made of plastic material and having projecting locating means formed thereon which are operatively engageable with the toaster casing wall portions dening the vbread-receiving*slots to Acorrectlyposition the device on the toaster casing and prevent accidental dislodgment thereof. l f j The foregoing and other important objects and desirable features inherent` in and encompassed bythe invention, together with many. of the purposes Iand uses thereof, will become lreadily apparent from ra reading of the ensuing description-in conjunction with the annexed drawing, in which, v y,

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of a new and improved combination toaster cover and serving tray device embodying the invention 'positioned on an electric bread toaster;

A. FIGURE`2 is avertical sectional viewtaken substantiall ly along line 2'-2 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational viewof the combination toaster cover and serving tray device;

FIGURE 4 isA a bottom plan view of the in FIGUREBN i l device shown spaced withrespect toy eachother substantially the same FIGURE 5 is a Yperspective viewlof a second embodi- I ment of the invention;

FIGURE'-is a bottom plan view ofthe lmodified veri sion of the Vcombination toaster l'cover and serving tray illustrated in FIGURE 5; and

FIGURE 7 is a sectional 'View' taken substantiallyv'along line 7'-7 of FIGURE 6.2 v

Referringto the drawing in detail,|- wherein like reference characters represent like elements throughout the various views, a conventional electric bread toaster 10 is shown. The toaster casing 11.is generallyvrectangularly v shaped in plan with the end walls 12 spaced a greater distancewith respect to each other than the side walls 13 are spaced. The top wall 14 of the toaster casing 11y is provided with a pair of transversely spaced, elongated bread- 3,170,416 Patented Feb. 23, 1965 ICC receiving slots 15. It is to be understood that the invert tion is equally adaptable to bread toasters having'more than two bread-receiving slots 15. Y

As is well known, the interior toasting compartments including the bread supporting grids and heating elements are open to the Iatmosphere in conventional toasters when the toaster is not being used. Dust, debris and other unwanted foreign matter caneasily enter the toaster casing 11 through the bread-receiving slots 15 to render the toaster 10 unsanitary and to possibly cause the toaster 10 to malfunction. As statedrhereinbefore, one of the objects of the invention is to provide means or a device which not only effectively seals ythe interior of the toaster casing 11 from the atmosphere but which, also, is attractive in appearance and will enhance rather than mar the general overall esthetic appeal of the toaster 10. The device 16 of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURE 1 includes a plate-like base 17 which is preferably made of plastic material so as to be light weight, inexpensive to manufacture, and readily and easily cleaned when necessary. The top surface .18 of the base 17 is flat and uninterrupted, as best shown inIFIGURE 1. The area of the top surface 18 is slightly smallerrvthan the area of the top wall 14 of the toaster casing 11 and, consequently, when the device 16 .is placed on the toaster 10, the top wall 14 is substantially covered thereby.

Integrally formed with and extending upwardly `and out, wardly from theV marginal edges of the base 17 is a relatively short, continuous lip or flange 19. The uppermost edge 20 of the lip 19 is scalloped to enhance the, decorative appearance of the device 16. The lip y19 isprovided to maintain the articles such Ias pieces of toast or, the like on the top surface 18 of the base 17 when the toaster 10 is in operation and the device 16 is being used as a serving tray rather than a cover.- Y Y In order to facilitate the proper positioning of the device 16 on the toaster 10 so that thebase 17 completely covers the bread-receiving slots4 15 and thereby effectively .prevents the entrance of dust and other foreign matter into the toaster casing 11 when the toaster 10 is not in use and is in its stored condition and to prevent the device 16 from being accidentally dislodged from the top of the toaster casing 11, locating means, designated generally by reference character 20, are provided. l The locating means 20 are in the form of a pair of elongated projections 21 which `are preferably integrally formedfwith and depend from the underside of the base 1,7,..as best shown in FIG- URES 2 and 4. Each projection 21A hasa lengthv and width substantially coextensive to the length and width, respectively, of a bread-receiving slot 15 and :aretransversely transverse spacing betweenvthe bread-receiving slots j15,.` Theouter end surfacesr22 and outer sidesurfaces 23 of each projection 21 are tapered or inclined to facilitate,

placement of thedevice 16onthe toasterl 10. It willalso be noted that thecenter section 24 of each projection 2 1'A is khallowed out to'reduce the amount of plastic material needed to manufacture the device 16 and thereby reduce itscost. -lg

' Inv the embodiment of, theinvention, designated generally by reference character 25, and shown in FIGURES lip 27 for maintaining the a base 26 when the device 25. is'used as a serving tray;

As stated hereinbefore, one ofthe .objects of the invention is kto provide a combination toaster storage cover Vand serving tray device of a single size which is readilyV "adaptable to a wide variety of toaster' constructions wherein the spacing of the bread-receiving `slots with respect Vto the end walls 12 Vof-each toaster casing A11 isV different from thatof thev others This is accomplished -by making the locating means, designated generally by lreference characterl 23, longitudinallyadjustable with respectto the base 26. The structure incorporated in Ythe device for imparting theadjustability feature Vthereto includes a ypair of longitudinally extending, transversely spaced tracks 29 carried on the underside of the base 26. Each track 29 comprises ilange 3] which is integrally formed with and extends transversely'inwardly lfrom a respective Vlongitndinal edge of the base 26. The Jflanges Share vertically spaced sufficiently from `therunderside.

of the base 261e accommodate thelongitudinal edge portions 31 ofthe locating means 28 for relative sliding Y movement. Itis to be understood, however, that once an adjustment of the locating 'means 28 is made the rticles being served'on the articles thereonv so as to 'longitudinal -edge `portions 31 lare frictionally gripped Y between the underside of the basel26 and the flanges 3'@ ,sufficiently to prevent inadvertent relative movement between the base 26 and ythe locatingmeans 28; From the foregoing, it -willbe appreciated that the locating means 28 lis infinitely adjustable lwith respect to the base 26 between the extreme positions indicated by broken y lines in FIGURE 6.

The locating-meansZS ofthe embodiment of the invention shown in AFIGURE 5 includes a substantially rectangular plate 3,2, when viewed in plan, as illustrated in FIGURE@ i The plate 32 is formed with a pair of longitudinally extending, transversely `spaced depressions 33 which results in a pair of projections lllbeing provided on thefunderside of the plate 32)` when the locating means Y 28 .is assembled on the base 26as-best shown in FIGURE 7. The projections 34 are insertablein lthe breadreceiving-slots -15 in the'same manner and vfor the same purpose as the projectionsZl described above.

= From-the foregoing, it is believed the operation of .Y thefembodime'nt ofthe invention. illust-ratedin FIGURES 5, 6 and 7 is clear. The plate 32 is 4first adjusted with respect to the base 26 so that when the base 26is centered over the' top wall vlt ofthe toaster-casing 11 to completely eolver the bread-receiving slots .15, the projectonst' are disposed within the bread-receiving slots 15. 1 The embodiments of'the invention chosen-for .the purposes of illustration and description herein are thosey preferred for achieving the objects of the inventionand A developing the-utility thereof in the YmostV desirableV manner, due regardl'being had to existing factors Vrof economy, simplicity of design and construction, production methods" and the improvements soughttozbe effected. It willbe ,beV appreciated, therefore, that-the -particular structural v and functional aspects emphasized herein, are not intended to exclude, but rather toV suggest, `'such .other adaptations and modifications ofV the invention asY fall within V the Y, spirit and Vscope of the invention as defined in the appended claims;V @What is claimedis:

1L A combination storage cover and serving tray device for a -toaster having a plurality. of-'bread-'receiving 'slots i most side of said base. Y v Y 3. A combination'storage cover-andV serving tray device Y y with the top wall structure `dening 'thebread-receiving slotsV to substantially vprevent relative transverseV and longitudinal movement between saidV locating means and the top wall of the toaster casing when mounted thereon,'

and adjustable means for-connecting said locating means to the normally lowermostside of said base, said V*adjustable means permitting ,said' base and said locating means ,to slidelongitudinally with respect toV each. other KVto a predetermined relative position whereby Ysaid base will be centered on the `top wallV of the y.toaster casing when said projections-'are inserted in thelbread-receiving slots, said basejand locating means being-dismountable from --the toaster casing and said :base being capable of supporting the articles. ,Y

2. A combination storage'coverfandserving tray device for a toaster as set'forth in claim l, 'wherein' saidbaseand locating Vmeans are made of plastic materiaL and further including an integrally formed lip-'at the-peripheral edge of said baseextending upwardly from the normally Vupper- I V.for a toaster having a plurality ofbread-receivingslots -in the'topiwall of the-casing thereof, comprising,"a platelike base oi'plasti-c material mountable on the top wall ofy the toaster casingysaid base having an area in planY suiilciently large enough to cover the bread-receiving' slots when centered on thetop wall of the toaster casing,

an'finteg'rally formed lip at :the peripheral edge ofy said base Aextending -upwardly'from the normally ,uppermosty side ofsaid base, locating means of'pIa'sticinaterial operatively engageablev with lthetop wallestructure defining the bread-receiving slotsto substantially preventrelative transverse and longitudinal movementbetween said locat-f ing means and ther topwall of the toaster casing when mounted thereon, said locatingmeans including a plate having a pluralityof integrally formed, elongated projections depending from the normally llowermost side thereof, each of said projections jbeinginsertablefin a respec- `tive bread-receiving slot, and'ladjustable means for corr-l `nectingV said plate to ,the normally Vlowermos'tfjside of said base, said adjustable jrneans `permitting said baseandplate to slide relatively-with respecttofeachrother,along f lthe longitudinal axis of .said base to a: predetermined lrelative positionwhereby said base Vwill,bei-centeredr on the vtop Vwall *of the 'toaster casing-when said .projections are inserted VVin 4the bread-receivingV slots, said base' and v plateV being Vdismountable.l from= `the -stoasterj casing.

in the top walloffthe ycasing thereof, comprising, a plat'elike base mountableV on the top .wall Yof the toaster casing,

saidbase having a length greaterthan its width and anarea .inY plan sufriciently large enough to cover the` breadfreceiving slots when centered on the top vwall vof the. v toasteryeasing, locating meansy operatively engageable and the'n'ormallysupperrnost side of said base 'bein'gqrelatively Vilatv and capable V*of supporting larticles thereon so as to permit the device to be usable asa serving tray for thearticles.V f Y Y Y y 4. A combination storage cover-andk serving tray-device as set Yforth in claim 3,whereinfsaid adjustable means j l, includes'longitudinally extending track means'carried onl thenormally lowermost side of said base, said `track means Y being adapted to receive and'frictionally grip longitudinal r edgefportionsof Said plate. f v

' ReferencesfCited-.by lthe-Examiner innANKafsngn-RY, Primary Examiner, 7 V

be usable lasa ser-ving tray forY 

1. A COMBINATION STORAGE COVER AND SERVING TRAY DEVICE FOR A TOASTER HAVING A PLURALIRY OF BREAD-RECEIVING SLOTS IN THE TOP WALL OF THE CASING THEREOF, COMPRISING, A PLATELIKE BASE MOUNTABLE ON THE TOP WALL OF THE TOASTER CASING SAID BASE HAVING A LENGTH GREATER THAN ITS WIDTH AND AN AREA IN PLAN SUFFICIENTLY LARGE ENOUGH TO COVER THE BREADRECEIVING SLOTS WHEN CENTERED ON THE TOP WALL OF THE TOASTER CASING, LOCATING MEANS OPERATIVELY ENGAGEABLE WITH THE TOP WALL STRUCTURE DEFINING THE BREAD-RECEIVING SLOTS TO SUBSTANTIALLY PREVENT RELATIVE TRANSVERSE AND LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID LOCATING MEANS AND THE TOP WAL OF THE TOASTER CASING WHEN MOUNTED THEREON, AND ADJUSTABLE MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID LOCATING MEANS TO THE NORMALLY LOWERMOST SIDE OF SAID BASE, SAID ADJUSTABLE MEANS PERMITTING SAID BASE OF SAID BASE, SAID ADJUSTTO SLIDE LONGITUDINALLY WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER TO A PREDETERMINED RELATIVE POSITION WHEREBY SAID BASE WILL BE CENTERED ON THE TOP WALL OF THE TOASTER CASING WHEN SAID PROJECTIONS ARE INSERTED IN THE BREAD-RECEIVING SLOTS, SAID BASE AND LOCATING MEANS BEING DISMOUNTABLE FROM THE TOASTER CASING AND SAID BASE BEING CAPABLE OF SUPPORTING ARTICLES THEREON SO AS TO BE USABLE AS A SERVING TRAY FOR THE ARTICLES. 